22 January, 2025
Ukrainian manufacturers have presented repeaters that should increase the operator’s communication with the drone.
The Brave1 cluster reported that it had tested repeaters, drones carrying repeaters, and modules for optical odometry and optical stabilization.
More than 30 Ukrainian companies presented their developments at the tests.
Uninterrupted communication between the operator and the drone is the key to the successful operations of the Security and Defense Forces.
This is especially true for long-range operations and in difficult terrain, where direct communication with the drone can be unstable.
Ukrainian-made drones-repeaters. January 2024, Ukraine. Source: Brave1
Among the developments tested are repeaters from more than 10 Ukrainian manufacturers, which increase the communication coverage for UAVs by tens or even hundreds of kilometers.
They can significantly increase the range of drones, reconnoitering and engaging enemy targets in the rear.
More than 10 manufacturers tested drones carrying repeaters. The drones were tested for their physical ability to carry the repeater to a given square and stay at a certain height without deviating from the specified location.
Key advantages of such repeater carriers:
- no need for special masts that increase the communication range. Such masts are traditionally targeted by enemy artillery and kamikaze drones, and their close proximity to the drone operator puts his life in danger;
- the ability to communicate with a drone operating in a hard-to-reach location (hilly terrain, dense and high-rise buildings, etc.)
- almost doubled operating time on a single battery charge
- EW-resistant communication.
They also tested a solution for optical odometry and stabilization, a technology that allows the drone to fixate on a specific marker on the ground, which the UAV receives from its own camera.
Ukrainian military’s Matrice 300 RTK drone with relay antennas for FPV drones. Photo credits: SOS palīdzība Ukrainas armijai
The technology’s key advantage is its independence from GPS communication, which makes it much more difficult for the enemy to counter the drone with electronic warfare. Using such a module also makes it easier for the operator to control the drone and allows for the use of the automatic return home function based on the data received from the camera.
Russia is also trying to find such solutions. In 2024, Russia prepared a balloon to relay a signal to FPV drones for testing.
